Improvement in machine for distributing- fertilizers



N- PETERS. LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, 41C.

Massage-W- the.

WILLIAM Fr. WEIR'ICKQJOHN C. WELLER, AND DAVID E. RCI-IR, OF

CHARLES'IOWN, WESYI1 VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 86,47 7 dated Febma/y 2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE FOR DISTEIBUTING- FERTILIZERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. WEIRIGK, JOHN G. WELLER, and DAVIDE. Rona, of Charlestown, in the county of J eierson, and State of West Virginia, have invented and made certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Distributing Fertilizing Substances and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings', and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and making appart of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a view of the back of the machine.

Figure 2 represents a top and interior view of the machine.

Figure 3 represents a view of one of the distributing-devices detached. l The nature of our improvements consists in the peculiar form and arrangement of the devices for agita-ting the mass of matter 'to be distributed, said devices being constructed with two or more prongs and a tine, the prongs having angular-shaped scraping-edges, and set or bent at right angles to the lever-arm pait thereof, and so arranged and operated as to have au oscillating motion right and left, in an arc of a circle, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter, to enable others to become skilled in'the construction and operation thereof.

In gs, l and 2, letters a a a. a mark an oblong hopper-like box or receptacle, of any required size and capacity, either with orwithout a hinged lid or cover, and mounted on suitable transporting-wheels, as shown.

The bottom of the receptacle has a suitable number of vents or escapes, b b t, iig. 2, over which is arranged an adjustable sliding gauge-plate, c c c o, having longitudinal slots, d d cl.

This plate c c c c is kept in position by the screwpins e e e, and the cross-rods ff.

To the inside upper surface of the front. board of the hopper a a a a is affixed a suitable rail-piece, g 9,.

formed with suitable verticai mortises or'cut-outs, (not shown in the drawings,) through which pass upwardly the lever-arm part h h h of the forked and tine distributing-devices I I I, J J J, figs. l and 2, said devices being formed with an axis or fulcrum-place, k, fig. 3, the lever-arm partit h-h extending far enough upward, so 4as to connect, bypins L L L, with a yoke-coupling reciprocatin g-bar, m mm, provided with suitable slots or mortises n n n, sitiatcd in a vertical line over similar mortises, before referred to as formed in the rail-piece a y a a 2- Around the hub, on the inner side of one of the propelling-wheels o' o, is arranged an eccentric or cam, pp, formed with a grooved channel, within and around which is adjusted an encompassing-collar, actuating rod q q q, formed with a bent or hooked end, of, which l catches into an eye or hole in the end of a bell-crank,

- s s, whichis attached by a fulcrum 0r axis, t, fixed to the side of the front ofi` the hopper "nearone end, a suitable cut-out being formed, or sawed downward from the upper edge of the end-board of the hopper, to receive the bell-crank and admit of its workin g, as shown in iig. 2. ,The upper end of the bell-crank also has an eye or hole, into which fits the hooked end, u, of a connectingrod, o, which hitches oli to the yoke-coupling bar m m on, as shown at o2. The sliding gauge-plate c o c has connected with it, through the bottoni of the hopper, a regulating-lever, w, and on the back partfof the hopper, near the bottom edge, is a sliding grduating-plate x, formed with a longitudinal slot, y, he d in position by a set-screw," a tiff. 2.

2 The operation ci" our improvements is as follows: .The fertilizing-substance being deposited in the hopper-receptacle a a a a, the propelling of. the machine causes the driving-wheels e2 cito operate the actuatingrod q q q, which imparts motion to the bell-crank s s. The connecting-rod e, and yoke-coupling bar m fm m, all set in motion or operate the forked distributingdevices I II, J J J, their under edges, as they moveright and left, stirring uppulverizing, and forcing the fertilizing-substance downward, and out through the escapes of the bottom of the machine, wliilst the tines J J J loosen up, and prevent the mass ofthe substance from choking or packing downwardly, over the escape or outlets.

If a more or less quantity is required to escape through the outlets or escapes b b b in the bottom of the machine, all that is necessary, is to set the graduating or gauge-plate x nearer to or farther om the regulating-lever w, to be moved more or less right or left, whereby the graduating or gauge-plate x aords a larger 'or smaller escape or outlet.

The advantages of our improvements over the several fertilizing-nlachines with which we are familiar, are very marked, because of thecheapness and simplicity of construction, great durability, the facility and convenience of using the machine byitself, or by combining it with any seeding, sowing, or drilling-machine, together with a most important distinguishing principle, the distribuing-deviceshaving an oscillating-movement, and their scraping-edges moving in the arc of a circle, whereby a portion of the iertilizingvsubstance is drawn from the mass both right andleft, loosened, pulverized, andforced downward by the action of the angular or bevelled-surface and scraping-edges of the prongs I I 1, iig. 2, Whilst the tines J J J at the same time stir up and loosen the mass, thus preventing choking or packing of the outlets, and aiicrding a regula-r, uniform supply or quantity for distribution.

Having shown and described the construction, and

clearly set forth the edvalntages of our improve'- 2. The combination of said devicesI I I, J J J, with ments, v the eccentric cern-device p 11, the bell-crank s s, actuat- Whait We claim as nemend desire to have secured ing-rod q q, yoke-coupling bar m an, graduating gangeby Letters Patent of the United States, is plate c c, the regulating-lever w, and sliding plate i,

l. The peculiar angular-shaped construction of the substantially cs shown, set forth, und described prong orfork-lilie agitating scraping-devices III, J J J, n WILLIAM F. WEIRICK. or theirlequivztlents, when arranged to osciliate right JOHN ,0. WELLER. and left, in. the arc of a circ1e,"so es to stir, loosen DAVID E. ROHR. up, scrape, and force out the substance to be distrib- Witnesses: uted, in the manner substantially as set forth and de- MICHAEL S. WELLER,

scm'bed. CHARLES M. HOUGH. 

